The Best 6 Step Minimal Makeup Routine For A Fresh No Make Up Look
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How many of you are currently looking at your makeup collection wondering why on earth you have so much makeup that you hardly ever use? We’re about to give you the lowdown on how to create the best minimal makeup routine using only a handful of market leading products, that will give you a fresh, no makeup look that you can rock everyday.
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Whether you’re a pro when it comes to makeup, or have just discovered the exciting world of makeup but have no idea where to start to nail your everyday look, a minimalist makeup routine is something everyone needs to master.
Granted, glam makeup looks and cat eye makeup are gorgeous but are better suited for special occasions.
Whether you’re off to work, school, boise breweries or just running errands, minimal makeup is not only super quick and easy, but when done right it gives you a minimal natural makeup look that’ll scream out (subtly!) ‘i woke up like this’.
It’s such a great feeling when you finally find makeup products that you love and can continue to go back to again and again. Some of you may still be on your journey to find the best minimalist makeup products but just aren’t having much luck, but that’s exactly what we’re here for. We do all the hard work for you and only present you with the best makeup around for your new and exciting minimal makeup routine.
The Minimal Makeup Routine
If you’re switching over to a minimalist makeup routine, here’s the order we’d recommend to follow for the perfect ‘no makeup’ makeup look.
Skincare First
Before applying your minimal makeup, you need to ensure that you’ve got the perfect canvas in place first. Begin by cleansing, toning and moisturizing.
Sunscreen, Sunscreen, Sunscreen!
We cannot stress enough how important sunscreen is in your skincare and makeup routine. It’s either the last step of your skincare routine before heading out or the first step of your minimal makeup routine after applying your moisturizer.
Sunscreen protects your skin from sun damage caused by damaging UV rays which can cause pigmentation and many other serious skin related conditions. Our favourite sunscreen is the La Roche Posay Anthelios 50 Ultra Light Sunscreen which quickly absorbs into your skin leaving no greasy residue or white cast.
Makeup:
1. Tinted Moisturizer / Foundation (if needed)
2. Concealer
3. Brow Gel / Brow Pencil (if needed)
4. Mascara
5. Bronzer / Liquid Blush
6. Lip Color / Lip Glow / Lip Oil
Benefits Of A Minimal Makeup Routine
The benefits of a minimalist makeup routine are endless. Here’s some of the main reasons why you should switch to a minimal makeup routine and why you won’t look back once you do! After all, the secret to how to look pretty isn’t necessarily piling on layers of makeup. Sometimes less really is more!
Save Money
A minimal makeup routine will save you so much money now and in the long run. Once you’ve decluttered your existing drawers of makeup and narrowed it down to the bare minimum makeup that you really need for everyday use, you’ll only need to stock up as and when you run out.
Of course, the temptation will be there to run and get the latest trending makeup product that’s hit the scene, but just hold off until you’ve got an existing empty to replace to prevent wastage and also potentially wasted money too!
We like to hold off a while before purchasing anything new until there’s enough data (i.e. reviews from consumers and publications) on the product so we can begin our research process. You can tell we take our job very seriously so we can ensure that only the best, market leading products land on your vanity.
Remember makeup has an expiry date too so the more makeup you have, the less you’ll be able to use it and the quicker it’ll expire (or dry up) and come to the end of its life – leading to more wasted money.
Save Time
Once you’ve switched to a minimalist makeup routine, your morning routine time will literally be cut in half as you won’t need to rummage through hundreds of makeup products to just find a mascara (or a mascara that hasn’t already dried out!).
It’ll also save you time when you’re replenishing your minimal makeup products at the store as you’ll just head over to your firm favourites and be in and out in 5.
Save Space
You’re going to save a whole load of space once you’ve switched to a minimal makeup collection – in your drawers, your make up bag and handbag too!
You’ve probably realised that the answer to the question ‘does makeup expire‘ is a big fat yes and so binning all of those expired makeup products will save you a ton of space (and time) ready for your new (but minimal) makeup arrivals!
Clear Mind
Once you’ve decluttered, organised and reduced your makeup to just your minimalist makeup essentials, you’ll instantly notice a feeling of relief and opening your makeup drawers or makeup bag will no longer be something you dread facing.
Clutter, hoarding and an excess of anything in your home (a space that should be your happy place), can cause anxiety without us even knowing it and often can be a result of anxiety too. Try to get into the healthy habit of decluttering one small space in your home once a week and then build up from there.
Trust us when we say once you start you won’t be able to stop and before you know it you’ll be the next Marie Kondo!
But for now, just take that first step.
Minimal Makeup Products You Need To Get Your Hands On
After many years of trial and error with a variety of different makeup products and a ton of money spent (and sadly wasted), we developed and followed our foolproof research process and discovered some seriously game-changing minimal makeup products.
We’ve gathered the best minimalist makeup products for your day to day minimalist makeup look below and if you don’t believe us, just check out the product reviews for yourself (which is what we spent hours doing when researching them before we added to cart!).
Even if you’re looking to build on the minimum makeup you have on for an evening event, these minimal makeup products still provide a flawless natural base which can be glammed up with a lipstick color of your choice (we love this international best selling color), a minimal eyeshadow look (check out our favourite eyeshadow palette) and the best ever setting powder or setting spray available on the market to fix everything into place so it lasts all night.
Not only are these makeup products market leading, they are also backed with an army of cult followers and are highly in demand (which explains why the majority of them tend to sell out fast or have very limited availability, so if you see them, grab them while you can!).
The key to a minimal makeup look is essentially to use the bare minimum makeup that’ll give the impression that you’re not wearing any makeup and are just naturally that glowy and radiant all the time (which is what we all dream of!)
Minimal Makeup Products: Haul of Fame
So without further ado, here’s everything you need to build your minimalist makeup kit for the ultimate minimal makeup routine that will take less than 5 minutes to apply and will make you look and feel alive, fresh and ready to seize the day ahead.
1. Tinted Moisturiser – Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser
This is literally the best and most coveted tinted moisturiser ever for everyday use. In fact, the coverage is more on the light to medium side rather than sheer, especially after we’ve popped on some concealer on any blemishes after. It also has SPF 30+ which is a bonus and absolute essential.
This cult favourite tinted moisturiser is oil-free and infused with naturally derived botanicals to keep your skin hydrated and looking radiant all day long.
It should be noted though that even though this is a tinted moisturiser, we’d still recommend that you don’t skip on your regular moisturiser before applying this, just to lock in some extra hydration to keep your skin supple and nourished for your busy day ahead.
Foundation – Too Faced Born This Way Foundation
If you’re after something that offers a full coverage finish rather than light to medium, perhaps if you suffer from acne or pigmentation, a full coverage foundation also falls under our minimalist makeup essentials and provides a great base and starting point for your minimal makeup routine and is easy to apply, even for beginners.
The key to ensuring that your overall look doesn’t look too ‘cakey’ with foundation, is to slowly work the foundation into your skin with a damp makeup sponge. Start by applying a few drops of foundation onto your makeup sponge and blend into your skin evenly, topping up as needed.
Remember you can go over any blemishes or noticeable imperfections that appear through your foundation with a dab and blend of your concealer and then set with your setting powder orsetting spray.
2. Concealer – Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer
The Maybelline Eraser Eye is our favourite concealer for the under eye area (we usually opt for one shade lighter for under eye concealing just for a brighter and lifted illusion and then dot and dab over any noticeable imperfections using an exact color match).
This concealer has been awarded with our Haul of Fame Gold Seal of Approval due to its leading position in the market as well as its effectiveness in covering dark circles and blemishes.
It’s also infused with goji berry extract and haloxyl which help to reduce the appearance of dark circles, fine lines and blemishes over time. It’s just an absolute winner especially given its extremely affordable price tag.
You can read more about this incredibly popular and inexpensive concealer, or discover some other market leading drugstore concealers that may suit your fancy in the post ‘Top 5 Best Drugstore Under Eye Concealers for Dark Circles.’
3. Brow Gel – Benefit Gimme Brow
Brow gels are basically the mascara for your eyebrows. If your eyebrow hairs are thin or just barely there and need reviving, just pop on some eyebrow gel and fill in any gaps with an eyebrow pencil and no one will know the difference. Your brows will instantly be transformed to look fuller and will frame your face beautifully.
The Benefit Gimme Brow is quite literally the eyebrow gel of dreams. It instantly volumises and defines your eyebrow hairs (even the tiny ones you didn’t know existed) to create a fuller effect. The Benefit Brow Gel is not only water resistant, but long wearing too and the best part? It’s the perfect addition to your minimal makeup routine as it provides a natural finish.
Top Tip: Try not to overfill your eyebrows though if you’re going for minimal make up. Remember less is more and you want to simply enhance your look not transform.
4. Mascara – Sky High Mascara Maybelline
The Sky High Mascara is one of the top beauty products that went viral on TikTok and sold out four times on Ulta as a result of its rise to fame!
Trust us when we say this mascara is just perfect. Formulated with bamboo extract which works to moisturize your lashes giving them even more volume, it lengthens, curls, defines and gives you the most fluttery lashes you never knew you had! The bristles on the wand are shaped in such a way that even the tiniest and stubborn lashes are caught and lengthened with every stroke.
To discover some other market leading drugstore mascaras, check out ‘Top 5 Best Drugstore Mascaras for Length and Volume‘.
5. Bronzer – Benefit Hoola Bronzer
If you haven’t heard of the incredible Hoola bronzer, you’ve been living under a rock. This bronzer is matte and is the perfect shade for powder contouring (and very buildable too to transition to evening makeup looks).
It comes with a straight edged brush so you can create a smooth or sharp contour which looks gorgeous when applied on cheekbones and blended in to adjust the sharpness of the contour effect depending on the makeup look you want to achieve.
The Hoola Bronzer can also be used to contour your nose by using the same method down each side of the bridge of your nose to create a slimmer illusion.
Liquid Blush – Charlotte Tilbury Pinkgasm
When a makeup product has a 50,000 person waitlist after going viral on TikTok, you know its going to be good! The Charlotte Tilbury blush wand is a liquid blush that gives a stunning dewy finish. Just apply 3 dots on your cheekbones and blend in with your makeup sponge to reveal a natural pink sun-kissed glow.
Rare Beauty By Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
Another blush that the beauty community has gone crazy over (that is one of Sephora’s top sellers, boasting over 3k reviews and more than 500k likes!) is none other than Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush. This blush is seriously pigmented so a little really does go a long way. An added bonus is that its cruelty free and vegan too!
Just dab 2 dots onto the apples of your cheek and blend immediately with your fingers or a damp makeup sponge as the velvety texture of this blush means it can dry faster than its runnier counterparts!
Whatever you decide to go for, these liquid blushes are another must have for your minimalist makeup essentials for everyday use or even just for the Summer to enhance your sun-kissed glow even more.
6. Lip Color / Tinted Lip Balm / Lip Oil
Lip Colour – Mac Soar Lip Liner
Another viral lip liner shade that went viral after Kylie Jenner announced that it was her favourite go-to lip colour. After months of it being out of stock everywhere, we finally managed to get our hands on it to see what all the hype was about and we’re so glad we did!
The Soar Mac Lip Liner is the most beautiful taupe/pinky/brown shade you will find and its just the perfect everyday shade for a minimalist makeup routine. The creaminess of the lip pencil makes it glide on so easily and it isn’t drying or pulling at all when applying.
With the increasing popularity of the Mac Soar lip liner, Mac released a lipstick in the same shade, but we still prefer to use the lip liner as an all over lip color anyway and then top it off with the Lip Glow Oil.
For anyone looking for a Mac Soar lip liner dupe, we’ve recently discovered the NYX Professional Makeup Lip Liner Pencil – Ever which is almost an exact match and a great introduction to minimal makeup for beginners who don’t necessarily want to spend a fortune on makeup products when they’re just starting out.
Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm
If we had to pick one makeup product that we couldn’t live without, it would hands down be Dior Addict’s Lip Glow.
This must-have makeup essential has been a makeup staple in our minimalist makeup collection almost a decade before Haul of Fame was founded.
The Dior Lip Glow isn’t just any ordinary lip balm, its a lip reviving balm. This means that upon application, it literally transforms your natural lip colour by enhancing it and bringing out your unique lip undertone. It now comes in various tinted shades too the most popular being the Dior Lip Glow Rosewood.
You can opt to just pile this on on its own but if you’re wearing a lip colour first, just go over it with some Lip Glow and instead of topping up your lip colour throughout the day, all you need to do is swipe on another (generous) layer of Lip Glow to bring your lip color back to life again!
It’ll also keep your lips feeling so soft and moisturised throughout the day (due to its formulation of mango butter) and if used before bed as a nighttime lip treatment, your lips will be so incredibly soft and supple the next morning!
Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil
Another TikTok famous, must have beauty product for your minimal makeup routine is none other than the Dior Lip Glow Oil. A stunning, natural lip oil that comes in various subtle shades that will keep your lips nourished all day without feeling sticky or tacky.
{Related Post: The Viral And Highly Coveted Product On Every Girls Wishlist in 2022}
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m a beginner and have no idea how to do minimal makeup. Where do I start?
Minimal makeup for beginners can be quite daunting to start with but once you’ve got a bit of clarity on the best minimalist makeup products to invest in, then all that’s left is how to apply minimal makeup to achieve a flawless natural makeup look.
TikTok and YouTube will be your best teachers for how to wear minimal makeup with a whole bunch of tutorials using minimum makeup to achieve a simplistic makeup look overall.
I’ve got a big evening event to attend and I wanted to go for very minimal eye makeup. What sort of eyeshadow looks should I go for that is easy for beginners?
There are so many gorgeous minimalist eyeshadow looks you can go for using a neutral palette with mainly soft pink and brown tones. The key to accentuate your eye makeup isn’t so much the minimal eyeshadow look you’re thinking of but the lashes! Either treat yourself to a lash lift and tint before the event or wear some natural eye lashes to subtly make your eye makeup pop on the day without looking super out there (we’re not talking russian volume lashes).
Once you’ve searched YouTube for everything minimal eye makeup related, you’ll be a pro by the end of it. Don’t forget to check out our minimalist makeup essentials for your eye makeup below too.
For A Minimalist Eyeshadow Look:
Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics Palette
Real Techniques Makeup Brush Set
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder For Under Eyes
I have no idea how to look good with minimal makeup? I always feel like I have to wear more makeup to look good and cover all my imperfections.
This is so far from true and lately with minimalism being so on trend and on the rise, less really is more. There’s now even a trend called #skinimalism which is all about minimal skincare but it also applies to makeup minimalists.
You can absolutely cover all your imperfections with a minimal skincare routine and the minimal makeup products we’ve featured. As long as you’ve given your makeup a great base to start with (at least cleansed and moisturised beforehand as a minimum) then your makeup will sit flawlessly. Pop on some of the TikTok viral flawless filter (or any of the flawless filter dupes if you’re on a budget!) then dab on some concealer onto any imperfections and blend in and the key is to set your make up with a greatsetting powder.
You don’t need to go crazy with blush, heavy contouring, eyeshadow or dark lip colors to look good. Stick to our minimal makeup routine and then coordinate your look around it. Neutral minimal outfits, a new hair do and a glow up (mentally and physically) to create the new minimal you!
Love your simple makeup routine! Do you have any sunscreen recommendations?
Thank you! Yes! Our absolute favourite sunscreen of all time is the La Roche Posay Anthelios in SPF 50+. It leaves no white cast whatsoever and absorbs beautifully into your skin without feeling greasy at all. Such a gamechanger!x
I do the same thing, but I haven’t been able to really find a moisturizer with a tint that matches my skin. I found your simple makeup routine really helpful.
I’m one of the people who are always on the go and not into heavy everyday makeup. Your tips are amazing and the products you mentioned are one of my favorites.